The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-15
Local Option.

Jno. r Conner. in Western Christian Advocate.
1t is generally agreed among thoughtful peo-
pie that more harm than good 60 The temperance
cause results from overstatements and the ex
aegerations of its most Jealous advocates. 4
study of the history of legislation this,
upon other questions, has led me to favor local
option as the most practical way of approach to
the final extinction of the liquor traffic. in so far
as legislation may contribute to that end /
have rarely seen more Incorporate discus
sion of this subject than that of the
first two paragraphs OF your contributor.
under this head, in the May 25th issue of the
Advocate. The moralist. statesman and doctor
of divinity are challenged, and their motives
impeached. for failing to the writer does,
at mere glance" TO use his own phraseoocy.
The writer bases his constitutional and legal
gumeut on the phraseology common to all onr
organic law, ito provide for the general well
fare" The conclusion from this premise is,
that great harm results from the liquor traffic
therefore nothing but its adjustment can be
right, and like all who take that posi-
ton, he assumes that consritu-
tional inhibition abolishes it. which
ali experience is furthest from the truth. But
there is another Interpretation of this organic
phraseology and it matters not whether
recognize its validity not it is the prevailing
one, and we are compelled to live under it till
better comes. ana, sensible men, the duty is
on us to do the best for the general welfare till
we can do better. For weary weaks, and days,
and nights in scorching suns and deathly malaria
We lay in the bitches before Vicksburc. sapping
berton defied the Nations power to
abolish him. In detail, according to the
power OF our local option. we took
a line here and blew up fort there till Vicks-
burg fell. The duty of the army was to crush
out treason and rebellion at once. for the gen
eral welfare but it was not treason in the fed
eral army not to do So and so it interpreted its
duty to work for the general welfare on lines of
partial success. and bide its time for the consum
nation. And SO it is ldle-worse than idle-to
stand saving the air with asseveration that
this, and this only. is right. and that all
opposed it enemies of the country
and cause. Busy, practical people, who deal
with facts they presented cannot afford
to halt and go into camp. and dry-rot on the
premises of any bodys theories. Life is too short
for dallying, and they must be doing while hold
ing to their own and obvious Interpretation for
the final end yet accepting battle on the grounds
where they can't help 1t, strike down a battalion
and division there. where they can do So with
aim aud hope of doing much, and finally all in
detail.
Whether the high-tax feature of the Dow law
is blessing to and promotion of the saloon in
terests might be practically solved by one SO be-
lieving. If he should be able to convince some
poor evicted Irish English farmer that he
ought to be taxed $1S per acre for the land he
farms, on the principle that it promotes his
prosperity and general interests And SO If 1t
hampers the traffic to burden it with a heavy TAX
whore it exists by local tolerance that is better
than no burden. To me local option aud
high taxes is the final analysis of the idea of
practical self government its application to
this question. 1t says to the community who
can vote it out, Apply the principle of exclusion;
and to the one which cannot, Burden the traffic
all you can. till you have the power to exclude
it, Also The busy, practical people Will go on
thus doing all they can for the general vel
fare" and to the others will be left whatever
pleasure may be extracted from standing still
and declaring what ought to be done--rather
standing still and refusing to do anything be-
cause all can't be done at once.